In the automotive manufacturing industry, body panels have always been a category that looks sturdy but is actually highly susceptible to environmental damage. Engine parts can be repaired if they break down, but body panels such as doors, fenders, hoods, and roofs, once they rust, stain, or show watermarks, often have to be scrapped entirely. This is why surface protection of body panels is extremely important during storage and transportation.

With the increasing proportion of exports, especially to high-humidity and high-salt environments such as Southeast Asia, VCI anti-corrosion film has gradually become the main protection method for body panels. CVCI, as a professional manufacturer of anti-corrosion products...

Why is rust prevention essential for body panels?

Body panels are usually stamped from materials such as cold-rolled steel, galvanized steel, and aluminum alloy. After stamping, trimming, and flanging, the metal surface is often in a freshly exposed state, and its protective ability is weaker than that of the original sheet metal. Even slightly high humidity will cause water vapor and oxygen in the air to rapidly form oxidation reactions on the surface. The first signs are often not visible rust, but rather darkening, discoloration, and a slight oxide film.

These seemingly insignificant problems are magnified during subsequent painting. The oxide layer affects electrophoretic adhesion, leading to blistering and peeling of the coating, and even problems that only become apparent after the finished vehicle is delivered. For OEMs, these types of quality accidents are extremely costly and difficult to trace.

More realistically, body panels do not immediately enter the welding or painting process after coming off the production line. They often undergo temporary storage, in-plant transfer, inter-plant transportation, and even sea freight for export. If protection is inadequate at any stage, all the previous process efforts can be ruined by moisture. As a professional manufacturer of anti-corrosion products, CVCI highly recommends using VCI products for rust prevention of body panels.

Transportation and storage environments are crucial.

While the environment on the production line can be controlled, transportation and storage are the biggest variables in rust prevention. Especially in export business, many problems do not appear in the factory, but gradually accumulate during transit.

For example, in sea freight containers, due to diurnal temperature changes, condensation easily forms on the inner walls of the container, which is commonly referred to in the industry as "container rain." This moisture repeatedly condenses and evaporates on the packaging surface, leading to continuous corrosion of the metal surface. In Southeast Asia, where humidity is consistently high, coupled with the salt content from the marine climate, even slight contact can significantly accelerate the corrosion rate.

Many companies experience no problems with domestic transportation, but encounter issues once their products are exported. The fundamental reason is that their rust prevention solutions are not designed for high-humidity environments. This is why more and more export companies are beginning to re-evaluate whether traditional rust prevention methods are still sufficient.

Antirust film in China is Active Protection

The key to antirust film in China's growing popularity in body panel protection lies in its rust prevention method, which is completely different from traditional materials.

VCI stands for Volatile Corrosion Inhibitor.  This rust inhibitor is contained in the anti-rust film and, in a relatively sealed packaging environment, slowly releases into a gas, distributing evenly throughout the packaging space. These anti-corrosion molecules actively adsorb onto the metal surface, forming an invisible but very stable molecular-level protective layer. This protection doesn't simply isolate the metal from air; it directly inhibits the electrochemical reaction between the metal and moisture and oxygen. CVCI, as a professional anti-corrosion product manufacturer, highly recommends using antirust film in China as a protection method.

For body panels, using antirust film in China offers several significant advantages:

It doesn't require oiling and won't contaminate the surface; it can cover large flat surfaces and also protect structures such as flanges and rolled edges; it's non-contact protection and leaves no traces; after unpacking, the VCI molecules naturally evaporate, without affecting subsequent welding, electrophoresis, and painting.

Many of our customers exporting to Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines have reported that after replacing ordinary PE film or stretch film with antirust film in China, surface problems during storage and transportation have significantly decreased, and quality complaints have also reduced.

How to correctly use VCI anti-rust film for body panels?

VCI anti-rust film isn't a "just wrap it up" solution; proper usage is crucial for effectiveness.

After the body panels come off the production line, first ensure the surface is dry and clean, avoiding residual coolant or cutting fluid. Then, select the appropriate size of VCI anti-rust film according to the part dimensions for complete wrapping, creating a relatively sealed space rather than loosely wrapping it. For larger body panels, it's usually used in conjunction with brackets and dividers to prevent scratching and facilitate the even distribution of the anti-corrosion gas within the space.

CVCI's exported anti-rust film products have been widely used in various fields, including automotive body panels, structural parts, and welded parts, mainly sold to Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Many customers have noticed a significant reduction in quality risks after switching to our anti-corrosion solution, which is why they choose to cooperate with us long-term. If you also have anti-corrosion needs for automotive body panels, please feel free to contact us via email.